Victory Of The World
VICTORY OF THE WORLD
JOHN 16:25-33
More of Jesus’ teaching would become clear after his resurrection and ascension.
The circumstances of the ministry and the degree of understanding which the disciples have had have been such that Jesus has had to use a great deal of figurative language. The time would soon come when he would speak plainly of the Father. Not, of course, that it is possible to speak of divine truth without some use of human metaphor. But the possession of the Holy Spirit and the new degree of understanding which would come to the disciples would make much more direct teaching possible.
Jesus returns to the subject of prayer. After his exaltation, prayer would be made in his name. It would depend on his opening up of the way to the Father, but there would be no idea of the Son having to plead with an unwilling Father for the needs of his disciples. This would be unnecessary because of the Father’s love for them. Their own love for and faith in Jesus were tokens that they were recipients of the Father’s love. There was this close connection between attitudes to the Father and the Son because he himself had his origin and destination with the Father, only being in the world for a time.
The disciples profess now to see the plain truth. They say that they understand his supernatural knowledge and therefore his divine origin. But Jesus warns them that such belief will be tested soon. For they were about to be scattered and to desert him. In the face of the assault of the world he offered them peace and the confidence that he had already won the victory. This would be, and still is, a proof of his claims.
Notes 16:28: this may be, in very summary form, the plain truth which Jesus tells them. The reply of the disciples seems to suggest it. 16:31: the implication is of a completely inadequate faith. 16:33: for the cross and resurrection as victory over the powers of the world, cf. 1 Corinthians 15:57; Colossians 2:15.